Auto chain coupler



July 10, 1923.

H. CAMPBELL AUTO CHAIN COUPLER Filed Dec. 15. 1921 PatentedJuly 10,1923.

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I -:'HE1\TRY'CAMPBELL, onLIBEn n KANsAs};

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Application filed Dece mber 15, 1921,

To all whomz't may concern! Be it known that I, HENRY CAMPBELL, acitizen of theUnited States, residing at Liberal, in the county ofSeward and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Auto ChainCoupler, of which the following is a'specification. v

This invention relates to connecting links for chains, and moreparticularly to a connecting link designed for use in connection with.anti-skid chains orthe like, the primary object of the invention beingto provide a link having novel means to lock the link section associatedtherewith, against movement. U

Another object of the invention is .to' provide a link of this characterwherein the movable element thereof is guarded against contactwithobstructions encountered on a road surface to eliminate anypossibility of the movable element being accidentally moved to uncouplethe chain.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be. made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of av linkconstructed in accordance with the present invention showing the same asconnected to links of a chain.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the detachable link, showing oneof the .side members thereof as removed, and the removable element in alocked position.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the link.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the link includes side plates 5which are held in spaced relation by means of the plate 6, the latterplate being secured to the side plates as by means of the rivets 7. Theside plates 5 are cut away as at 8 which cut away portion extends fromone. of the side edges of the plates, terminating at a pointsubstantially intermediate the widths of theplates, and extendslaterally as'at 9 to provide a hook member at one end of the plates toac commodate a link of a chain,'the link being indicated at 10. Thecentral or spacing plate 6, is formed with a cut out portion,

7 a chain.

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the walls thereof being cut away as at 11 to accommodate the movableelement 12,.

which is'in the form of a disk and is provided with a cut out portion 13extending from the edge thereof. 2

This movable element 12 is pivotally supported between the side plates 5as by means of the pivot pin 14, to permit the movable element to rotatefreely between the plates to permit a link tobe attached thereto. The

plates are formed with openings indicated at 15, which accommodate thelink 16, to secure the detachable link forming the subject matter ofthis invention, to one end-of In the use of the connecting link, the cmovable element 12 is moved to aposition as indicated by Figure l of thedrawing,-

whereuponthe link 10 may be positioned in the cut out portionthereof.The movable element 12 isnow rotated to move the same to a position asshown by Figure 1 of the drawing and permitting the link 10 to fall intothe right angled portion of the out out a portion of the link.

It follows that theimovable element 12 is,

now rotated to bring one wall thereof to a position to closethe rightangled portion of the cut out portion of the plates, as shown by'Figure2 of the drawing, whereupon the link 10 is locked against movementandmay only be removed by manuallyrotating the element '12 co-bring thecut out portion thereof into alignment with the link 10,

whereupon the movable element'12 may be rotated to release the link.

From the foregoing it will be seen that i the movable element '12 isprotected in every respect against accidental movement, due toitscontact with stones or other foreign matp I on a road surface;

- ter, which a link of this kind may engage, H

It will therefore be seen that the centrifu-:

gal motion of the rotating wheel will tend to holdthe disk to its closedposition.

Having thus described the invention, what I is claimed as new is Aconnecting link comprising side plates,

a central plate conforming to the contour of the side plates andpositioned between the side plates.-said plates having cut out portionsextending from one of the respective edges thereof towardsthece'ntralpor tions of the plates and having right angled portions, one of thewalls of the right angled portions extending in parallel relationwith.

one of the edges of the plates, the central plate having a curved cutout portion merging with the first mentioned out out portions, a movableelement positioned in the curved out out portion and pivotally supportedtherein, said movable element having a cut out portion extending fromone edge to align With the cut out portion of the plates and receive alink member, said mov- W :alhlemember adapted to deliver :a link to thecutout portion-of the plates, and-said movable member adapted to closethe cut out portions to lock the link therein.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signa- 15

